Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-07-22
IN THE WRONG ROOM.

ment bordering OH hySteria ever s!hce.
On the fifth floor has lived for over a
year a gentleman we call Alberta mod
est, retiring clerk in bank. He has
lately been introduced into little prl-
vate poker game carried on in the house,
and during a session in the poker-rOom
has imbibed more whisky sOurs than his
gentle, meek architecture is able TO con-
troll. On the fourth floor of this hotel,
directly under-Alberts room, there re-
sides Helen. a relative of the proprietor.
and Emma, her friend, who is Jersey
girl, studying art here in New York.
Emma is matrimonially engaged, and
she frequently goes to theatres with her
fiance, and, returning, has bit Of sup
per i'm the restaurant. In the vestl0ule,
to which Emma is escorted TO take The
elevator, there is always last little
talk. Then Emma goes up to her ROOM
mate, and the engaged man, full Of
pleasing anticipations of the hour when
he'll take the elevator, too, turns up his
collar and goes out into the silent street.
Albert has a ROOM mate and chum,
who, however, has nothing to do with
this story. Saturday night was inclem-
ent, and Albert, after dinner, smoked a
cigar in the reading-rOom and then went
up to the little room Of the parlor. where
the friendly game was in progress. He
played with variable luck until IL,
when, with last whisky sour, he with
drew. Albert is sure he was not tight.
He knows he was sleepy and that the
elevator boy was slumbrous. At all
events he went to his room, where his
chum " as sound asleep in bed. Albert
pulled off his clothes and threw them
about the place, slammed things around
generally, wanted 10 wind his watch,
but couldn't find the key, thought he'd
find Il spare one in the bureau drawer,
went to turn up the dimly- burning gas,
but turned it short off, said piOusly,
"Cuss the key" bolted the door. turned
down the clothes and slipped into bed.
lie was just floating off into dream
haunted by fulls and tlushes when fe-
male voice so near his face that he felt
the warm breath on his cheek, said:
"What fool you are, En-; you have
been talking at that elevator until you
are cold as frog"
The perspiraton broke ont all over
him; he lay paralyzed. He strained
his eyes into the darkness till they be-
came used to the surroundings. Sure
enough, the window was not in the
right place it should be; he made out
sofa where it had ought to be, and made
up his mind that he was where he should
not be, and was a lost man. On chair
by the window was pile of white stuff,
monument erected to the cardinal vir-
tues by fair young girl. He made out
the fluting on petticoat, the strings on
some other garment, wire sort of cage
on the floor. Great SCOTS he was in
the wrong room, the room Of a woman-
in her very bed, anG, oh Understanding
conclusion, she had got there before
him. There are no words in which to
picture his condition and the frame OF
mind in which that picture should be
mounted. He lay like the dead, revolv-
ing like a buzz-saw what he should do,
till his hair turned.
Then the lady who had addressed him
evidently thought she had been too
harsh, for she whooped over toward the
wall and said:
Never mind, dear; hug up to my
back and get warm.
Albert couldn't tell under oath if he
obeyed this suggestion or not but GER
tainly silence fe.l on that deeply agita-
ted young man, who lay counting his
heartbeats. A long breath. just border
ing on a snoor, another regular, even
flow of nasal music. The friend Of En-
ma slept. AS "Don Juan slipped half
smothered from the bed," so Albert,
bathed in cold perspiration from head
to foot, glided from between the sheets.
Swiftly and silently he gathered his eff
fects. He had TO carry even his hat, for
his hair stuck up so he couldn't get it
on his head. He stole to the door, his
great toe cracking ominously in Stygian
darkness. With trembling fingers he
drew back the bolt, and, as cyclone
sweeps down on a Western town, he
dashes down the corridor, up the stairs,
around around corner, and in state
of hysterical collapse, fell into his own
bed nearly fainting. On slept the gem
tie woman who kepta warm back for
her friends. When a commotion in the
room startled her, there was Emma
lighting the gas.
"what on earth are you doing with
your things onT'
give just got in. know it's pretty
late. stopped to talk with George"
Helen sat up dazed.
why you were in bed halt an hour
ago. spoke TO you"
"You were dreaming. I've just this
minute got in"
"My heavens! say spoke to you;
YOU were near giving me chill with
your cold feet"
"My dear, Pm as warm as atoast, and
have this instant come into the house.
Go to sleep, you were dreaming"
ONT went the light. Emma was dis